Amish in Missouri

The Missouri Amish population is North America’s 7th-largest

The Missouri Amish population has seen rapid growth in recent years, in part due to Amish migration from other states. Today Missouri is home to over 9,000 Amish in 81 church districts and 38 settlements (Young Center, 2010).

Missouri Amish communities include:

Seymour-the area near Seymour in Webster County, with a population of roughly 1,500, is home to the largest community of Amish in Missouri

Jamesport-Jamesport is perhaps the best-known Amish community in Missouri

Clark-Along with Seymour and Jamesport, this community in Audrain and Randolph Counties is one of the three largest Missouri Amish settlements

Bowling Green-The Amish settlement near Bowling Green in Pike County is Missouri’s oldest

Small settlements-Numerous small Amish settlements are found across Missouri, with well over a dozen founded in the last decade

Seymour

Missouri’s largest Amish settlement is found near the town of Seymour in Webster County (founded 1968), and consists of a dozen church districts. The Amish at Seymour are a markedly conservative affiliation with ties to the Swiss Amish community in Berne, Indiana (Adams County).

Swiss Amish have specific customs, such as the use of open-top buggies, and speak a different German dialect than most Amish (read more on Swiss Amish). Common last names in the Seymour community include those typically found in Swiss Amish communities, such as Schwartz, Hilty, and Graber.

September plowing in the Amish community near Seymour, Missouri

The Amish at Seymour live in the eastern half of Webster County, with most addresses at Seymour but also including the towns of Fordland and Marshfield. The Webster County Amish make a living by farming as well as in other occupations such as construction and operating small home enterprises such as produce sales.

In recent years the Amish at Seymour have come into the media spotlight on numerous occasions. An Amish fiction writer set a series of novels in the county’s Amish community. Amish here were spotlighted for their quickness to rebuild following a 2006 tornado. And a sex abuse case which occurred in this community made headlines in late 2009.

Jamesport

The Jamesport settlement, lying in Daviess County in the northeastern quadrant of the state, was founded in 1953.

The town of Jamesport promotes the surrounding Amish community

Though it is often pegged as “Missouri’s largest Amish community”, at 8 church districts Jamesport is only about 2/3 the size of the settlement at Seymour (assuming districts of roughly the same average size).

Jamesport is perhaps the best-known Amish community in the Show-Me State, thanks in part to a fairly developed tourist industry and efforts made by local businesses to attract visitors.

Jamesport has a flourishing Amish business community, including bakers, horseshoers, furniture shops, and grocery and dry goods stores (read more on Amish furniture in Missouri).

A local map featuring Amish shops as well as numerous guided tours with stops at Amish homes, farms, and businesses testify to the community’s orientation towards visitors. The Jamesport community also features a sizable produce auction.

Clark

The Amish settlement at Clark in Randolph County was founded in 1953 primarily by Iowa Amish seeking greater freedom after conflicts over education in the state (see “Clark, Missouri Old Order Amish Settlement”, GAMEO). Today Clark is one of the three largest Amish settlements in Missouri, with 9 church districts (roughly 1,200 Amish).

An Amish farm near Clark, Missouri

The Clark settlement in fact lies in both Randolph and Audrain Counties, and takes in area near the towns of Madison and Sturgeon. The Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO) describes the Amish families of the Clark settlement living “in a tightly knit area with Amish farms adjacent to each other for miles along its country roads”. Amish shops that sell rugs and leather, bakeries, and other businesses dot the community.

Bowling Green

The Amish settlement in Pike County near Bowling Green is the oldest Amish community in Missouri (founded 1947). Like the Amish at Seymour, the Bowling Green community originated from a Swiss Amish community, that of Jay County, Indiana (adjacent to Adams County).

This community, though being founded first, is relatively small compared to the three mentioned above, with only 3 church districts as of 2008.

Small Missouri Amish communities

Like Wisconsin, Missouri is also home to a high percentage of small Amish communities. Of the state’s roughly 3 dozen Amish settlements, 23 consisted of a single church district as of 2008.

Other notable Missouri Amish settlements are found at LaPlata (1976, 4 districts), Windsor in Henry County (1975, 3 districts), and Canton in Lewis County (1986, 3 districts).

A settlement founded at roughly the same time as Seymour and Clark has not seen the growth those two communities have. Anabel in Macon County (1957) is today a single church district in size.

Like the community at Seymour, the settlement at Greentop in Schuyler County (2003, 1 district) is a Swiss Amish group, but with ties to the Swiss community in Allen County, Indiana.

Extinct Amish settlements in Missouri

Though the oldest settlement today was founded post-WWII, Missouri first saw Amish settlement before the Civil War. Starting in the 1850s a number of Amish communities were founded and went extinct, maintaining a sporadic Amish presence in the Show Me State into the 1930s.

Amish historian David Luthy notes that the first Amish community in Missouri came about in the mid-1850s near the town of Wheatland in Hickory County. Amish from a number of states, including Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, settled in this community.

A weathervane points the way over a Missouri Amish harness shop

During the Civil War, Amish in the area frequently found themselves at the mercy of both the Union and Confederate armies, who took grain and cattle and in at least one case purchased pies using counterfeit money (Settlements that Failed, Luthy, p 241). Among the Hickory County settlers was Jackson Knepp, who had joined the Amish from another faith background and eventually moved to Daviess County, Indiana, where there are dozens of Knepp households today.

The Hickory County Amish settlement eventually went extinct in 1882, with numerous families moving to other settlements in Missouri. Luthy cites reasons for settlement failure including “crop failures, financial losses during the Civil War, lack of congregational growth, and rough neighbors” (Settlements that Failed, Luthy, p.243).

A half century before the present-day Clark-Madison settlement came about in Audrain and Randolph Counties, another Amish community existed near the town of Centralia in Audrain County. This community was started in 1898 by Amish from Iowa in search of cheaper land.

Luthy explains that the Amish in Audrain County encountered challenges including alternating excessively wet and dry weather. This community never grew large, and went extinct when the last two Amish families left in 1917. Luthy describes it as a “transitional group, more liberal than most Old Order Amish but more conservative than the Amish-Mennonites” (Settlements that Failed, Luthy p. 250).

Other extinct settlements were found in the southeast corner of the state, in and near the so-called “Missouri bootheel”, at Poplar Bluff in Butler County, and Sikeston in Scott County. Both were relatively short-lived settlements, lasting about a decade each during the 1920s and 30s (Settlements that Failed, Luthy pp. 250-257).

A few modern-day Missouri Amish settlements have failed as well. Communities at Licking in Texas County (founded 1995) and Downing in Schuyler County (2000) both ceased to exist in 2008 (Amish Settlements Across America:2008, Luthy).

Amish thriving in Missouri

Amish have found Missouri especially attractive for settlement in recent years. Nearly half of Missouri’s 38 Amish settlements have been founded since the year 2000.

Over the past 20 years, Missouri’s Amish population has grown by over 150%, well outpacing the typical growth rate of around 100% (see Young Center, Amish Population Trends 1991-2010). The excess growth rate in this case is due to in-migration from Amish communities in other states.

Amish are attracted to new areas for numerous reasons, including land prices, proximity to population centers, and the presence of other Amish groups, which may compel or deter settlement. Missouri has likely attracted Amish for these and other reasons.

With larger communities in states such as Indiana, Pennsylvania and Ohio experiencing population and other pressures, rural states with accessible farmland such as Missouri, Wisconsin, and New York are likely to continue to see high rates of in-migration and growth rates above the norm.

“Amish Population by State (2010)” and “Amish Population Change 1991‐2010” Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, Elizabethtown College (http://www2.etown.edu/amishstudies/Population_by_State_2010.asp; http://www2.etown.edu/amishstudies/PDF/Statistics/Population_Change_1991_2010.pdf)

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I used to live near Humansville and Dunnegan, north of Bolivar, MO. There were quite a few Amish up there. In fact, my ex and I had only one or two sets of neighbors near us that WEREN’T Amish. I did get to know a family that sold cookies and bread by the highway and they were delightful people. Great neighbors!

I will be visiting Missouri from Alaska in June. Will be in Columbia but want to go up to Clark County to visit the Amish community to see the quilts and take a tour if there is one available. I can’t find anything on the internet and I realize they don’t have internet, but is there any information available? Your help is appreciated.

Not all of these are up to date. I just found out that letter “H”
TERRY’S COUNTY STORE has noit been in business for sometime now. The problem is that the Amish don’t market what they do, and so a map, like the one I listed above, gets out of date.
Also, be aware that just because a listing is on the map does not mean it is Amish that run it. I hope this helps some.
PS…JamesPort, MO and Bowling Green,MO might be fairly close Amish places to check out.
Tom

Hello, Terrys country store is open and has been for five years and it is a discount grocery store and just because it is not run by the amish dont mean it is not good. People should check it out. Terry

When I was in Clark I used an online map to find Amish business’s. The one I saw that listed Terrys was not there. An Amish gal that lived near where the place seemed to be told me the business had been closed for years.
I totally agree that just because a business is not Amish owned or run that that does not make it bad. For me though, I go to Clark, and other places where Amish live, to meet and shop Amish. If I wanted to just shop with English I could have stayed in my hometown.
If you list the address of where your business is I will make a point to stop in and buy something next time I am in Clark.

I would suggest you look for the Chamber of Commerce for the county or towns for Clark county and look at things to do as they may list something pertaining to the Amish. Also if you do a search on the internet for Amish communities in Clark county you should be able to find info.

Susie , we live at Renick Mo. We live just 7 miles from the Amish community . I go there often as there are several stores out there. I have in the past seen the name Beachey on some mail boxes. There are several Yoders . If my memory serves me right I read that this Amish community is the second largest in MO. I noticed that you said miditnite (Spelled wrong )Im not much of a speller.I do know that there is a difference,as the Amish use horse and buggy for transporation. There is some minitnites and a church down around the Madison Mo. community. That is 10 miles east of Moberly.We live 4 miles from Moberly ,so the two communitys are located pretty togeather. Hope this has help you in some way. I would just love to see more of your kind of people to come in to our area. Mrs Verna Hendren

I used to live in that area. I was raised in Southeast Missouri where Mennonite communities have in recent years been growing and growing, I am so glad to hear. But then as a young adult, I moved to Branson and in my travels all across the southern hills and mountains of southern Missouri, I would see the farms… the horse manure on the shoulders…. :o) and sometimes I would get lucky enough to see a buggy on the shoulder of the highway. I long to go back to my home state as I have been far away for a long time. I know there are more Mennonites in Northern Arkansas. I have always wanted to live in that way, but never thought I actually would. Maybe I was not brought up that way, but once you know, then you know. I am accountable now. Lord give me the strength.

Harlan’s Steel Buildings in Excelsor, MO. Owned/Operated by Harlan Zimmerman. They built an exquisite 50’X30′ all metal barn on our property in Versailles, MO in September 2011. Everone was great. Took them slightly kess than 2 full days..Friday & Saturday. I shopped around for 5 years getting prices for wood & steel “poles”. Theirs was the best qquality & best price. I have referred them to many people.
Karen

I am looking for a competent Amish builder(s) to construct an authenic Amish log cabin in or near central Arkansas. I am looking at various log cabin kits but would like to have the cabin assembled by qualified Amish craftsmen. Also, I would like Amish input on the type of logs to use and maybe even a referral to a particular supplier of kits. Would like to have simple cabin plan with “dog trot” design with fireplace or wood burning stove. Will not be primary residence – Just a getaway.
Haven’t purchase lot yet and probably won’t until I settle on plan and builder. Thanks, Bob Morris, Conway, AR 72034, 501-450-7532(H), 501-472-5749(M). MUST HAVE REFERENCES AS TO YOUR ABILITY AS SKILLED IN THIS TRADE.

I have also heard that about there are Amish around the Licking area..I live in Edgar Springs,Mo.I have been in the Seymour,Mo and have enjoyed seeing the amish and thier buggies driving along the road.. I have always wanted to visit a Amish nome or a B&B and stay .. Can anyone help find one for my husband and I.

That brings up a good question. Do any of the Amish groups have bed and breakfast type places? I could guess that some new order Amish or Mennonite might, but Old Order?

And gee, what would that look like if it was an old order place. Would they ban electronics, or say you could only use them out near the road?

Like others, I too would kind of like to see what it would be like to stay in an Amish home for a night. I get the feeling this is like when people want to go out and do some real camping, you know, really rough it. Could we handle it? I suppose we all have the power to do that in our own places now. Shut off the power to your house, turn the phone down on silent ring and put it in your garage. Go to bed with the sun and get up with it, or before.

I think it would be fun to have an Amish dude ranch, or whatever, where you go to stay for several days and do what they do. Wear what they do, work like they do.
Ah, dreams.

Tom they’re not too common but yes some Amish do operate Bed and Breakfast accommodations, mostly in the bigger communities (in OH, PA etc). I haven’t heard of any in Missouri though. I don’t know if they’d be hooked up to some sort of electric power, but I don’t think anyone running that sort of establishment would ban electronics (as an example I sometimes bring electronic items into Amish friends’ homes, though not the kind I’d have to plug in).

Eric, that makes me wonder what is acceptable to bring in around Amish people. I most often have a MP3 player to listen to and when not in use I drape the earplugs over my shoulder. I feel like I shouldn’t even have them in sight when I am around the Amish. When the car radio is going and I pull up to where Amish are gathered I shut it off ahead of time. My cell phone doesn’t come out either. It just doesn’t seem right. What do Amish people think of English using these things around them? (maybe this is a better topic for somewhere else)

I had a Amiash Lady that owns a store in the area of clark, mo. ask me if I would loan her my cell phone so that she could call in a order for her store. At that time I dident own a cell phone ,but I do now.

Ron L, listed above, ( www.jamesport.net/ ) has done a LOT to help English people get to know Amish people better, as well as promote both Amish and English business’s in Jamesport,Missouri. Check out the website if you might be heading to Missouri.

If you need help training horses to drive, call the Jamesport Harness Shop, 21776 St Hwy 190, Jamesport, MO 64648 … (660) 684-6775 . This is an Amish business, so they will not answer the phone. Leave a message and they will call you back. There are other Amish in the area who train miniature horses to pull pony carts for the kids.

I was pleasantly surprised to find an Amish community between Jamesport,Mo and Columbia,Mo for me to stop at. I did not read about it here, so maybe it can can be added.(?) It’s in Carrollton, Mo. I stopped at 2 of the business’s there and was told there are 2 districts in Carrollton. The Amish have been there about 20 years. Mast Candy Kitchen is a place to stop if you have a sweet tooth. (seasonal) They also have some antique items as well. They are just North of Carrollton a few miles, on Hwy 65, just North of County Road 310.
Another new Amish store which opened there about 3 weeks ago is the Rose Valley Grocery. It’s a little ways North of Mast Candy.

In May of 2012 we accidentally discovered what we were told was an Amish community auction [near Bowling Green]. I have been trying to find the date for this year’s auction. I believe last May it was Mother’s Day weekend [Saturday]. Any help is appreicated – thanks!

I am planning to visit Jamesport this summer. I would like to talk to a few of them about their religion, and it’s history. I am a scholar and I am interested in studying history of religions. Do you think they might help me ? Is there someone who can help me in that ?

I’ve been going to Jamesport a number of times this last year to learn more about the Amish. I would suggest going into any of the Amish stores and asking if they might suggest their bishop or ministers that you might ask questions of.

What I’ve wanted to see is how the individual Amish person actually lives/acts day to day. That requires being around them enough that they might open up more.
Tom…. LincNebr@hotmail.com

Tom, I just noticed your post/question from a year ago. If you are still looking for a place to see how the Amish live day-to-day, I would suggest a place that my wife and I have stayed a couple of times over the past couple of summers. The place is called The Farmstead, located in Mt. Hope, OH. I don’t have the contact info. handy (but could get it from my wife if you need it), but they do have a phone and you can call for information/reservation. It is an operating diary farm, run by the Miller (?) family, and they have a small annex on the main house that they rent out by the night. Totally wonderful family, and they allow those that stay there access to the various goings-on on the farm. It is in a high buggy-traffic area, so you can sit out in the yard and watch the Amish world come to you. Guest can also enjoy a meal with the family (for a fee), and just visit and ask questions and whatever. Super folks!

Thanks for the idea Don. Last fall I did do some Amish seeking as far out as Holmes County Ohio, hitting many many Amish communities along the way. What has really helped me get to know some Amish was a bad buggy/car accident back in July 2013 down in Pawnee City Nebraska. I got to know several Amish families pretty well over time, which was the goal.

I’m sure the information you have about the place you can stay would benefit many others too!

Jamesport is unique among Amish settlements in Missouri. The Amish are integrated so well in this community that there is very little they will not discuss with curious visitors. The best place to get candid conversation is at the many Amish businesses here. The Amish business owners here are used to dealing with curious tourists and have developed a very friendly and candid public face.

Hi Qayaya. I am just now seeing your post from a year ago. I hope you enjoyed your visit to Jamesport — my first trip there was about a year ago, and I’ve now made 4 visits (as a freelance photographer), and hope to make some more in the near future.

If you are interested in the religious history of the Amish, you might consider visiting the Behalt Amish Mennonite Heritage Center in Berlin, OH. As a pastor and “perpetual student” (incl. recent doctoral studies), I too am quite interested in the Amish beliefs. I have found that many of the Amish are not too open with discussing religion — it tends to lead to controversy, and they will avoid that. But there are some that will share their beliefs — esp. among those in the more tourist-friendly areas that have come to understand that that is just a part of the tourist curiosity. You can find some books that may help in some of the Amish stores.

I was at the Town and Country market in Licking and I chatted with a couple that was just getting ready to leave… I asked if it was possible to come and visit/see their place.. They said sure.. I have always been interested in seeing a Amish place. I would love to find a Amish B&B to stay at as well.. I see them driving their buggies down Hwy 60 and always say I have a lot of respect for them to choose to live that life..

Currently living in central Illinois, near the Amish community of Cuba, Illinois. Tired of the climate (cold winters), I’m looking to relocate near an Amish community…. for the fact…that I’ve become comfortable having them as neighbors and friends. I also drive for them and would like to continue the practice. Southern Missouri would be my choice of relocation.

Missouri has a statewide Amish directory that comes out every 5 years. The last one came out 3 years ago and I am on the hunt to find someone/someplace that has one I might purchase. I would be willing to pay twice the price that it originally went for in order to get one.
The reason I would like one is to make it easier to find the places in Missouri to go visit. I purchased one of the Central Plains while I was in Kansas an it was a big help.
Any know of one I might get?

I visited Clark, MO, for the first time yesterday. My wife and I had the most delightful time visiting a few stores, and buying furniture (our main goal). It is unfortunate that the Amish do not advertise as the quality and price of their furniture are excellent. We bought an armoire and chairs at Yoder’s Oak Furniture on 171 near Y and US-22. Sam Yoder was very friendly and a skilled craftsman. The furniture is a bit heavy as it’s made of real wood and not MDF. I am telling my friends and family about his store. Do be prepared to use the outhouse if you need the facilities.

Mary, it depends exactly what you are looking for. Windsor Mo has an Amish store. As I remember it, Sedalia has a English store that sells some Amish items. North of Columbia you have Clark, Mo which has a number of Amish business’s and above that are some other Amish communities. Bowling Green is also somewhat near.
I don’t have the time now to check my Missouri Amish listing but I know there are other places closer.

Follow-up….
I see that there is an Amish settlement in Dixon Mo, but I can’t see if there are any Amish stores there. They must get things somewhere. The Amish settlements I find per the Missouri Amish directory are in the following Missouri towns:
Bethany
Bowling Green
Canton-Montecello
Carrollton
Clark
Dixon
Downing
El Dorado Springs
Flemington
Greentop,Mo
Harwood
Humasville
Jamesport
Kahoka
La Plata
Lamar
Macon
Mercer
Monroe City
Mount Vernon
Mountain Grove
Osceola
Seymour
Stanberry
Verona
Wheatland
Windsor

I know this list is not complete because, as Becky above mentioned, and I can attest to, Modena, Mo has an Amish store. My list is from a 2010 directory.
I would suggest a trip to one of the bigger Amish communities and check.

With thanks to www.discoverbulk.com
these bulk food stores should be within 100 miles of Owensville, MO. Some of these stores may be Amish-influenced or Mennonite. Is it important to you to see Amish people and buggies, or do you just want to buy Amish-type products? You could call to see if they have what you are looking for. These cities do not match very well with Tom’s list of Amish cities in Missouri, but some of these cities are listed in The Budget newspaper index: Buffalo, Farmington, Licking, Linn, Versailles.

Hey Tom, do you know of a map of the Amish community in Seymour? I’ve been through there a couple of times, but really didn’t see anything other than a few not-so-well-kept-up farms, a schoolhouse, and seems like a small store. If there is more to the area I would sure like to know about it in case I’m back through the area.

I don’t know how you could miss the Amish farms! Did you have your eyes closed or what?

There are 2 distinct communities; the A highway group and the C highway group. Drive North off of 60 on either highway (and side roads) and you will see hundreds of farms.

Between the 2 traffic lights on 60 is Skyline/Division. Take it North and explore the side roads. I buy all of my milk, eggs, and butter in this area. There is ever a very reasonable Amish butcher: Joe Z Schwartz.

Yeah, Joe, that’s me — driving around the countryside looking for the sights and hoping to snap a few pictures…, and all the while keeping my eyes wide *shut*. (And I think if you’ll re-read my original question you see that “farms” were what I said that I did notice.)

But that aside, thanks for the general description of the area. However, I would still like a map with Amish-related sites (schools, stores, farms, etc.) marked on it. I’ve seen such for several other Amish communities, and I was just asking if anyone knew if there was one for the Seymour area.

Okay, that’s probably part of the problem. I was in Seymour during the cold months, and maybe that community is like a lot of others with many of the home businesses shutting down at that time of year.

Here is an online map of the Amish community in Clark, MO:
http://centraliamochamber.com/downloads/Clark_Amish_Map.pdf

From Jamesport, MO, featuring some Amish businesses but not the schools (understandably):
http://jamesportmissouri.org/jcalandscapemap2011.jpg

I got lucky and have an impromptu vacation, leaving tomorrow, to hit some Amish settlements in Kansas and Oklahoma. I would have to look back in my notes of my trip to Seymour, but I think Joe is up on more of it than I am.

Joe, did J&L custom butchering recently add a store to it? About a year ago when I was down that way a boy and girl were cutting some trees along the road leading to their place. They said there was a butcher shop there and that they were adding some store too.

These maps really help the Amish get outside business. Some do not list specific address’s, which make it tougher for people like me that use GPS’s. (Although to be fair, some of these back roads are unlisted on my Tom-Tom GPS. *grrr*

Thank Tom. Correct me if I’m missing something, but the two maps (the one you mentioned and the one I mentioned earlier) look to be identical — only located at different URL’s. But thanks anyway.

I would say something about ‘you lucky dog’ related to the impromptu vacation…, but it looks like I’m headed off on one here soon myself. Plan to pass through Clark for maybe some 2-3 hrs on the way to Jamesport (MO). There’s a guy in Jamesport wanting me to do some photography for a project that he’s working on — and hey, can’t pass up an opportunity to go to Amish country. (ha)

Good luck on your trip. If you takes pictures that you share somewhere online, I’d love to have a chance to see them.

Now here is something I am going to suggest that might not work for you. This last week I took a trip from Lincoln, Nebraska down to Tulsa Oklahoma, hitting Amish communities going and coming back. I stopped in Parsons Kansas and meet some of the conservative Swiss Amish.

Sidebar: Since starting to move there in 2006 they now have some 69 families. Only 2 of the families have the last name of Schrock, all of the rest are Schwartz!

I met a lady that writes for the Amish newspaper Budget. She actually sold me a directory of the Amish there. ($3) There was not a map but there were address’s. People could then point out when places sold items. They have 3 districts and so you could kind of see which places might be closer to the others. Not a map to be sure but. I understand Seymour should have this type of directory there as well that might be useful in finding places to go.

I think I saw some of your pictures on Flikr Don. If that’s you I think Seymour would be a nice contrast to other Amish settlements. The color of clothing they wear… their houses that have shingles for the sides of the house… horse power to run equipment and other things they do make the regular Amish look like New Order Amish!

Joe, Tom, Erik…, and anyone else with insight/feedback you’d like to share…..

Yesterday I took the long way back home from a trip to AR, and made a quick pass through Seymour, MO. I was rushed, it was bad overcast and getting a bit late in the day (both making for poorer lighting — and poorer pictures), and a host of other reasons that combined to give me an almost embarrassing set of pictures (quality-wise). But until I get back and do better, these are the best I have.

I’ve worked the pics up, and uploaded them to a hidden folder on my flickr account. Before I make this open to the general public, I would really appreciate you guys/gals that know the area or Amish in general better than I do to have a look-see at the pics and give me feedback. On a number of the images I have made comments, and I would greatly appreciate anyone that would like to confirm or correct the content of these. And as always, any other feedback is more than welcome.

So, here’s the link to the folder:
www.flickr.com/gp/ozarkinspirations/T8a6E0/

Thanks to anyone that can take a minute or two to look at them and help me make sure my stuff is in order.

-Pioneer Equipment “authorized dealer” sign hanging under the very plain Schwartz Horseshoe sign. The Pioneer company is one of the most innovative Amish businesses I know, and one of the larger ones out there (30+ emps last time I checked). It was an interesting juxtaposition seeing the two signs combined of what are two probably pretty different in certain ways businesses.

-Very plain-appearing community as you note. They are of Swiss Amish background with Adams County IN ties, I am not sure how much back and forth there is between the two communities but have always wondered. The two largest and best known Swiss communities, Adams Co and Allen Co, Indiana, bear certain things in common but the contrast in appearance can be stark. Allen County Swiss homes appear quite wealth and even fancy by Amish standards, with many built of brick. Adams County homes are much plainer and classically “Amish-looking”. These are closer to what you see in Adams Co. in general plainness though the shingles material seems more common here looking through your photos (though I believe I recall seeing it in Adams as well).

-The barn you wondered about, could that be some other variety of (quieter) poultry? I am not going to be of much help on this one

-The photo of the shed made of something like 8 different colors/types of metal material might be my favorite of all Would catch my eye if driving down the road in Webster County.

One thing that just now comes to mind is the possibility that the buildings were in fact poultry houses (chicken or otherwise), but that it’s just a seasonal business for the Amish. With their limited use of technology, I have to wonder if maintaining a proper heating in the houses during the winter is too difficult; and what with the late winter here in the state they might not have taken on a the spring crop yet. But just speculating.

About the shed-of-many-colors, if you’ll send me the pixel dimensions of your computer I can make you a background/wallpaper of that shot if you like.

Hey Joe (or others), now that I’ve been back through Seymour (very briefly), I have a better idea of the place and some of the layout, etc. I’m trying to map out the area so that I have a better game plans next time I’m that way. As I understand it, my best bet is to explore Hwys A, C, and Skyline Rd (and side roads off of them), all going north from Hwy 60. What is the northernmost boundry for the Amish communities? Anything further north than say P Hwy?

Joe, can you tell me how far north of Seymour that the Amish communities extend? It’s been my experience that while the Amish don’t normally live in town, they also don’t leave too far out of town either — like maybe 5-6 miles. That would allow them a round trip with a horse of 10-12 miles — which is a pretty typical max. distance without resting (I’m told).

I know of one family, Anna and Sam Hilty that are 7 miles North on division. Not sure how many are further north.

Many are hiring rides to go shopping and of course to go to work if they work off farm.

I imagine that they could live most anywhere because there church group is local and they could share the cost of hiring a ride to go get groceries, go to the doctor, etc…. they have to hire rides to get to a dentist as none are close enough for horse and buggy.

Hello.
I am not sure who to contact, but I would like to invite someone from the Bowling Green, MO area to sell bake goods, or other Amish goods at our upcoming Fall Festival on October 5th in Winfield, MO. I feel that you would be most welcome and a wonderful addition to our event. Please email me if interested. Thank you and blessings to you. Karen

It looks like Karen that Bowling Green is about 45 miles from you. I might not have much time to look to see if I have any phone numbers for the Amish in Bowling Green but I will try. I assume they will want to know:
How many years has this Fall Festival run?
How many people do you expect?
Is there a cost to sell there?
How much area will they get?
Do they need to bring their own tables?
Can you list an email address for someone to write you to get a phone number for the Amish to call if they are interested? (I didn’t think you might want to list your number here directly)

Karen,
I could not find the Amish directory info for Bowling Green but below you can find a site for Bowling Green which includes some Amish business’s. I think you could call the contact person listed and she could give you specific phone numbers. Direct inquiries to Margie Vogel at 573-324-3149

My husband and I are looking for an Amish community near Columbia to purchase fruits and veggies and milk. I have heard from many people that they are close by and see them around town yet the internet isn’t giving me very good info on where they are located. Any help would be appreiated

Seymour might be your best bet. The Missouri Amish Directory I have usually lists the occupation of the people listed in it but they don’t for Seymour. Maybe someone else can help you, or you might just drive to Seymour and ask around.
J & A Country Store 4854 St Hwy C <–might not be 100% correct
Zooks Store 931 Winningham Rd

Hello I just wanted to let you know Terrys country store in clark mo is open and it is a discount grocery store that is really good and has a lot of bargins. Just because it is not Amish dont mean you should not go there.

Thanks the address is take hwy Y to Audrain county rd 118 and the store is at the end of the road.They have all kinds of good discount groceries. People should check it out. The hours are monday-Friday 8:00 to 5:00

Drats! Sorry for the double post. If there was a way to edit or delete out the first one I would have.

Kris, you asked about a Amish Directory as well. I have looked high and low for a Missouri Amish directory but they have all been sold out. (even the place that publishes it) The good news is a new one should be coming out toward the end of 2014. If you are looking for a specific place now post it and maybe someone can help you.

Hello’ My name is GLAAB, I’m German, Pennsylvania, Dutch. I’ve always been curious about our common heritage.
I live close to Joplin, Mo. Now finding out there’s Amish living in Missouri, if anyone knows local family or communities or anything the might be interesting feel free to contact me with suggestions, advice, or just information.
Spencer Joe GLAAB’

Mel, there are Amish in Rocky Comfort, Mount Vernon, and Verona, Missouri. Maybe if you visit those settlements and ask around, someone could help you. Did you mean the big barns or mini-barns? Here is the information for two Beachy Amish barn builders:

I was driving down Missouri Highway 32 between Success and Licking and saw a road sigh along the highway showing a horse and an Amish buggy that said, “Share the road”. I didn’t see any Amish but the highway department had to have a reason to put the sign up.
Does anyone know if there are Amish living around Licking Missouri. That part of the country seem ideal for the type of lives they lead.

Yes there is a small community in Texas County in the area of Licking. You can find a list of settlements in Missouri and other states here: http://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/1811/57700/JAPAS_Donnermeyer_Luthy_vol1-issue2_pp107-129.pdf?sequence=1

The area around Licking, Missouri is a Very Rural area. On the Northwest there are Mark Twain National Forrest, and a very large State Park (Paddy Creek) Oddly there are not much farming to the North or West side of Licking but there are a lot of old farm sites scattered throughout the area and even in the forest and Park. A lot of those farm sites look like they have been abandoned years ago and they are laying fallow.
The fields (most are overgrown with grasses and underbrush) looks like they should be Ideal for farming.
Most of the area in Texas County are Cattle Farms or Cattle Ranches some, rather large.
The pace around the Texas County area is typically slow with a lot of , if not most of the population living around the Licking but working in Rolla (which is about 30+ miles away from Licking) or A Missouri Prison located outside of L:icking. I saw a new Sawmill outside of Licking, and I wondered as I drove by if it were operated by Amish.
This looks like an Ideal location for an good, large Amish Community.

I’m considering a short trip through three Amish communities in NE Missouri — Monroe City, Kahoka, and Canton. Does anyone have recommendations of places or people to see while passing through any of these? I am especially interested in Amish businesses and anything of special interest or insights that might make any of these communities a bit unique. Any feedback is welcome.

We stopped yesterday at Anna’s Bake Shoppe in Jamesport,MO. It is located several houses to the right of Country Cupboard Restaurant. There is a sign on the highway, but the bakery is located on the street behind. It is owned by an Amish woman and her two daughters. Both of the daughters have MS. Our purchase of pies and rolls were delicious!!!! The only regret is that we live too far away to stop often.

I have stopped at Anna’s store a few times but I usually go out to the other bakery, Countryside Bakery, which carries many more baked items than Anna’s. Countryside is next to the H&M Amish store, 21910 MO-190. Have you been there before?

Mary, while I’m more likely to go by Irma’s (Countryside) Bakery while I’m visiting Jamesport (it’s on the road as I’m coming into town), I’ve bought from Anna’s on a number of occasions as well. And they do make some good stuff there, I agree. I don’t know the ladies all the well, but I understood that it was the mother and daughter that have MS — but I could be wrong.

Schwartz Benefit Supper & Auction
“The English and Amish friends of the Schwartz family have organized a benefit supper and auction that will be held at the La Plata American Legion Building on Friday, August 7 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.”

I have not kept up with this site but just wanted to announce that we have and are expecting an influx of PA dutch. My friend is driving for a few of the families and they say that a lot more are on the way in the next few years.

We were over in Hartville and saw a couple amish families at different times at Caseys. Both in buggy and a group of men returning from a day of working, they headed north in Hwy 5. We also saw that they have installed a couple of horse & buggy signs on Hwy Z. Does anyone have ny information about this new group? I think I will ask at shetlers the next time I get up that way.

I am looking for camel milk here in MO. I am in Chesterfield. I know there is a farm in Arbela about 2 hours away (The Zimmermans). There are two others listed on the Desert Farms web site but I can’t find them on the web (both are Amish Farms but was hopeful).Does anyone know where they might be located?
Thank you for any help!